U Of I Proposes Funding Package To Keep Students In-State

The University of Illinois is proposing a financial aid package to keep students in-state.

“Invest in Illinoisans” would spend $850 million over 5 years. Chicago-area State Representative Mike Zalewski says it’s needed to avoid a brain-drain.

"We are losing an unsustainable amount of young Illinoisans to other universities, and that is the state's real out-migration problem," he said. "We cannot afford to have our best and our brightest talent going to other universities to learn to grow and to start their families. It has to stay in Illinois."

The plan is part of a larger proposal that guarantees U of I funding if certain performance standards are met.